THE MILLAMIA BLOG

Having a new yarn weight to design with has produced some amazing results. There have been endless possibilities for creating soft, beautifully draping knitwear in our original Naturally Soft Merino, but the new Aran brings a different dynamic. It opens another realm of exciting opportunities which have enabled Helena - Creative Director at MillaMia - to rediscover the many merits of a great quality merino and realise it in a new wave of contemporary knitwear.

As often as we were initially asked for adult garments, we have now had a myriad requests for a collection of sumptuous accessories. Which is lucky really, as the new Aran has proven to be the perfect yarn to create some simply stunning scarves, snoods, mitts, hats and bags. Finishing Touch showcases the new Aran's lovely twist and clean, sophisticated palette in wonderful texture, cables and oversized knits. The interesting stitch patterns, chunky cables and cleverly constructed bags are as always beautifully photographed making a browse through this new collection a guilty pleasure in itself!

Take a first look through the images here - a peep at the stylish, cosy knits that could be accessorising your winter wardrobe for 2014!

(posted by Max)

The new Aran 'brights' (top clockwise) - Cherry Red, Magenta,
Teal, Cobalt, Emerald and Ochre

After exciting months in design and development, our Naturally Soft Aran is almost ready to hit the shelves in a yarn shop near you! By now, there will be plump bags filled with seriously soft merino in a myriad new shades sitting in our warehouse, eager to go out into the world and grow up into something scrumptious for Autumn/Winter.

It sometimes seems like it's been a long time coming - and maybe it has. But the MillaMia team have always been utterly committed to producing something uniquely desirable - yarn that is as pleasurable to knit with, as it is to see, wear, touch. This dedication to excellence takes time, but the results are tremendous! Our Naturally Soft Aran is a worthy big brother to Naturally Soft Merino, which was in itself a tough act to follow.

We took inspiration from the highly sought after qualities of our Naturally Soft Merino, and aimed to include the soft handle, fabulous stitch definition and washability that has become synonymous with our sportweight yarn. These qualities are all wrapped up in our new Aran along with a twist that is a little lighter to provide loft without too much weight, but the initial point of difference has to be a dramatic change in the colour palette. In the 16 new shades you will find 4 subtle melanges that add depth and tonal interest to the knitted fabric, more complex colours such as dusk and powder blue, not forgetting the key brights such as cobalt, emerald green and a saturated, richly toned ochre.

The new 'melanges' (top left to right) - Cinder, Slate, Stone and Latte

This exciting palette offers scope for sophisticated adult accessories as well as a new opportunity to cosset sweet babies and cute kids in stylish and fun colour combinations, which you'll see in 'Tiny Treasures'. There is nothing quite like seeing a newborn swaddled in a softly textured handknit, or a small child warm, comfortable and stylish, is there?

Naturally Soft Aran - 16 stunning new shades to knit up a warm and colourful winter wardrobe

We revelled too, in the opportunity to fully exploit the joys of knitting with a heavier weight yarn – in oversized accessories and richly textured knits. In Finishing Touch, there are snoods, mitts, scarves, bags and pouches – all showcasing the soft subtle beauty of the new yarn and the 16 brand new colours. The melanges have a particular appeal in these adult pieces – with the delicate tonal differences in the yarn really working to add depth and interest to large cables and stitch patterns.

Our beautiful new Aran is almost here . . . what will you knit?

(posted by Max)

Alison and Sarah, owners of Yarn

Alison and Sarah are the knitter owners behind the fabulous ‘Yarn’ in Nottingham– a local yarn store that stocks an exciting and eclectic range of contemporary yarns (including MillaMia of course!), all sorts of patterns and books as well as a wonderful range of crafty notions, needles and accessories. They offer a great choice of Sunday workshops too and a Knit and Natter morning every Wednesday 10am – 12 and Thursday 5pm – 7pm which is always very well attended. If you’re in the area, the girls would love to see you too!

Alison and Sarah count themselves incredibly fortunate to have some extraordinarily talented knitters among their loyal customers, and one of these - Mariana Bowley has created a blanket that is nothing short of a work of art. Her blanket is knitted entirely in MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino using a very interesting technique to create some colours that have never been seen in our palette before!

Mariana's incredible blanket

Mariana very kindly agreed to share her wonderful blanket with the MillaMia blog and answered a few questions too.

1) Firstly, a huge ‘well done’ to you on making such an amazing blanket – it truly is a work of art. What initially inspired your design?
I have always been fascinated by the interaction of yarns of different colours. In 1988 I saw a picture in a museum that inspired me to knit a jumper with yarns the colours of the rainbow. I wanted to reproduce this effect for a blanket to brighten our all white bedding. But the way I worked the original jumper, short lengths of wool, did not seem appropriate for the blanket – too many ends at the back.

The original piece that inspired her 'rainbow' sweater

And the finished piece, front . . .

. . . and back

2) I’m intrigued with the technique you used to create more shades. Can you tell us a bit more about how you blended the colours?
I worked it out that the Millamia yarn was made of 5 strands. I separated 1 strand of a length of Peacock and knitted into a circle with 4 strands of Daisy; in the next circle I used 1 strand of Daisy with 4 strands of Peacock and so on.

3) Why did you choose to use MillaMia yarn for this project? And dare I ask how many balls of yarn you used?
Millamia was ideal with its wonderful range of colours and knitting with its yarns was a pleasure. I first bought seven colours of the rainbow, knitted the corner piece and with that I was off and knitting! I used 13 different colours in all and it took me about 5 months to complete using more than one ball of each colour. I am using the leftovers to make two cushion covers.

I thank the encouragement and advice of Alison and Sarah at ‘Yarn’ and my weaving friends.

www.yarn-in-notts.co.uk

Tel: 0115 9253606 Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9.30am - 5pm, (late night Thursdays till 7pm)

(posted by Max)

Swatching is a designers best friend

I know you will have seen the dreaded word 'swatch' in the title, so I want to reassure you that we are going to look at this essential part of the creative process from the side - a sort of glimpse in the direction of, rather than head on, to make it all a little more palatable . . .

Instead of going into the many virtues and advantages of swatching for whatever knitting project you are ever likely to embark on, I thought it would be useful and interesting to take a look behind the scenes of the creative process - how and where the swatches begin to appear, and the function they provide.

For Helena, Creative Director at MillaMia designing a collection and realising the individual garments within that collection moves from the sketching stage to definite design decisions regarding knitted fabric, drape, texture and colour choices incredibly quickly. A garment will require specific attributes from the knitted fabric and at this early stage the best and quickest way to see if a particular stitch pattern, colour combination or gauge will work is to swatch it.

A garter slip stitch pattern and a swatch mixing fairisle and moss stitch

And so, we introduce Tanya, our Design Assistant who has the (some may say) unenviable job of producing stack upon stack of 4 inch squares in a myriad of different colours and patterns. Tanya and Helena are very often found with heads bent over a couple of swatches, discussing how a particular texture will look when replicated over a whole garment, whether another has the required amount of drape or if a specific combination of colours works for them.

Swatching the new Aran for gauge

A great example of this sometimes lengthy, but essential process is for one of our latest patterns, the Annette Scarf from Finishing Touch. After the initial design had been sketched out, they began to look at all sorts of cable patterns to see which they liked and which would work best for this oversized accessory.

As with all designs, the Annette underwent quite a journey before the final choices were made about the size and type of cable, and you can clearly see the evolution of this design through the swatches below:

Giant Ribbed Cable

Giant Braid Cable

20-stitch Twisted Candle

The end result is a simple arrangement of 2 different cables patterns running the length of the scarf to make the most of the new Naturally Soft Aran colours - particularly the melange (shown below in Stone) which adds subtle nuances in individual stitches while still highlighting the beauty of the cable motifs.

http://www.millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Annette Scarf

Annette Scarf in Stone

I'm told that designers actually come to love the swatching process and even utilise them in decorative displays once their technical function is long past. A pretty glass jar stuffed with all sorts of colour, texture and cataloguing a history of design development can be a object as beautiful and relevant as the finished garments themselves. And for me at least, the thought of these small scraps of knitting having some sort of purpose or function after their vocational work is done, gives me a sense of satisfaction. Maybe, just maybe I will embark on my next knitting project the way I know I should . . . with a swatch.

(posted by Max)

Plenty of inspiration for a stylish winter wardrobe

As the sample knits for our new Naturally Soft Aran collections began to drift into the office, they were inevitably met with admiring oohs and aahs and a great deal of trying on! Well, at least we all tried on the accessories from Finishing Touch, and cooed appreciatively over Tiny Treasures imagining sweet babies and cute toddlers wrapped in our cosy new designs.

It is testament I think, to the love we all have for beautiful knitwear, simply but stylishly designed, that the arrival of these knits created such an excited buzz among the team. It's also testament to the truly awesome work that Helena and Tanya have put into these new designs. We ALL, without exception, began to think ahead to chillier days imagining several key pieces from Finishing Touch, gracing our winter wardrobes. And we began to make exciting plans for knitting these lovely items - if not all for ourselves, then for loved ones and new babies.

I am thrilled that the MillaMia team have all agreed to share their winter knitting plans here on the blog - so that you can find out a bit more about what they are all coveting, or generously planning to knit for their friends and families. First up is the Dream Design Team - Helena and Tanya:

Helena
Sorry but I am simply not able to limit myself to 2 . . . it's got to be 3 projects for me! I want to knit the Gullan Snood for my grandmother as that is her name and the item is dedicated to her! At 98 years old she is an inspiration to both Katarina and I. My Mormor (Swedish name for grandmother on your mothers side) once knitted me the best 80's jumper with a symmetric intarsia motif on the front - it was cream, peach, coral and beige - the height of fashion at the time . . . I would totally wear it now if I was hanging out in the eastend but don't think it would fit me anymore! Therefore it's only fair that I make her something in return. I am tempted to make the Gullan in Powder Blue as that's her favourite colour but I also think she looks so great in Marine Blue (as shot in the book) and then it would match a variety of coats.

http://millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Gullan Snood&sort=&type=

Gullan Snood in Marine Blue

Secondly I would like to make the Freja Colour Block Blanket for my friend Suzy's little girl, Rose Grace. She is a true English Rose with a beautiful doll like complexion and so I think Powder Blue and Ivory would be a stunning combination for her. It's also good neutral colours if it gets passed down or across to some other friends.

Freja Blanket in Cinder and Ivory

http://millamia.com/yarn.php?type=Aran&range=lights&id=30

http://millamia.com/yarn.php?type=Aran&range=lights&id=29

Powder Blue and Ivory Naturally Soft Aran

Finally for myself I think I will just have to have a Corrine Clutch or a Patrizia Pouch . . . maybe the pouch first which I can use to keep my receipts and keys and things in inside my bag. I can never find my keys or purse when I wear a big tote bag so this is now an urgent project! Luckily for me, Tanya has already started one of these and I'm hoping that it has my name on it! I was torn between Teal - it's got that jewel tone which I love, but in the end it had to be Magenta. I really like the vibrancy and punch of this colour and it's quite unlike any shade we have done up until now. For a nice bright surprise inside, I will line it with a strong contrast of Jade green cotton drill which I have left over from the photo shoot.

http://millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Patrizia Pouch&sort=&type=

Patrizia Pouches

http://millamia.com/yarn.php?type=Aran&range=intense&id=33

http://millamia.com/yarn.php?type=Aran&range=intense&id=34

Teal and Magenta Naturally Soft Aran

Tanya
Hello! I am going to knit some Elika Wristwarmers for myself because I love the texture, and the simple colour change, I feel, makes it very current. I favour wrist warmers over mittens and gloves because my fingers get too hot and I can't use my phone! I think they're a very versatile item and I know I will get a lot of use out of them but I'm not sure what colours to knit them in. I think either Cinder with an Emerald Green tip or Marine Blue with a Magenta contrast. Or maybe both!

Elika Wristwarmers

(posted by Max - with a little help from my friends! Thanks Helena and Tanya)

As soon as there is a tangible nip in the air, and the colours outside drift from lush greens into the golden hues of Autumn, I begin to feel a pressing need to cast on all manner of knits. A new wave of patterns and yarn herald the beginning of 'Knitting Season' and I am suddenly conscious that Christmas (sorry!) is just around the corner. So begins the exciting prospect of 'knitting all the things' as gifts for loved ones, and to cosset myself in the latest delectably warm and cosy knits.

Annette Scarf in Cinder

The arrival of our lovely new Aran in a myriad of tempting shades and 2 collections to choose from comes at an optimal time in my knitting calendar. I confess that I am a little sad there are no new babies or toddlers in my immediate life to make small, instantly gratifying knits for, BUT, only a little sad as it means that I can focus entirely on Finishing Touch. And I have a lengthy list of cool accessories that I am eager to knit from this particular collection.

My first choice is the fabulous Annette Scarf - an oversized accessory knitted with an amount of yarn that could easily make a substantial cardigan! Nothing shouts luxury for me like an accessory of this magnitude - warm and dramatic in Damson or Cherry Red in our Naturally Soft Aran for a bold statement against a neutral winter coat.

http://millamia.com/yarn.php?type=Aran&range=brights&id=38

My second favourite is the Gullan Snood. This would definitely be a go-to accessory that is easy to wear while still looking stylish - I imagine pulling it on with a casual winter jacket to add an extra layer of warmth around my neck. I am stuck on choosing a colour for this one though! Unusually for me, I love it in the Marine Blue as shown in the book, but I'm tempted also by Slate, Cinder or Stone. Maybe there are multiple Gullan Snoods in my knitting future . . . !

Gullan Snood in Marine Blue

Naturally Soft Merino in Slate, Cinder and Stone

Our wonderful office manager Maja has been much less selfish than I, and is imagining knitting a special gift for a dear friend.

I would like to knit the Annette Scarf in Pink Glaze for my best friend, whose name shall remain private but whom I love to call "Koukla" which is Greek for "beautiful doll", the phrase we picked up while attending Greek language classes together many years ago and which suits her beautifully. Koukla has recently gone through a profound and unimaginable loss in her life, yet she has shown the most admirable dignity, strength and courage throughout the anguished and harrowing time. I would like Koukla to imagine me giving her a hug every time she wraps this beautiful scarf around her. I miss her so much.

http://millamia.com/yarn.php?type=Aran&range=lights&id=31

The Annette Scarf is proving to be the most popular pattern from Finishing Touch and would look beautiful in Pink Glaze

The Elika Wristwarmers in Cinder and Emerald - I like that they are fun, happy and slightly quirky. I would like to knit them for myself and for anyone who wants a pair!

Elika Wristwarmers in Cinder and Emerald

(posted by Max - with help from Maja!)

Milly the Sheep had pride of place

We have long been supports of the Campaign For Wool - not surprisingly you might say, as wool is at the very core of our brand. Working and designing with wool on a daily basis is one of the great pleasures of being in the yarn industry - and we are conscious of the many wonderful properties that wool has, specifically for us in the handknitting arena.

It was such an enormous privilege therefore to be invited to exhibit at this years Campaign For Wool Installation at Southwark Cathedral. Milly the MillaMia Sheep was proud to be featured as one of only 2 handknitted items in the beautifully curated collection of just 50 pieces, the other a piece by Rowan so we counted ourselves in very good company!

Every one of the 50 pieces in the collection was created with enormous skill and imagination. From beautiful rugs, cushions and throws to tapestries and crochet all curated by Bridgette Kelly and Arabella McNie, there was truly an impressive array of woollen, artisan products.

And as if being included in such a highly regarded event wasn't enough, Helena and I were invited to the VIP evening to browse the stunning collection at our leisure. It was an entirely perfect setting - the soft wool in all its guises juxtaposed with the ancient stone walls of the cathedral brought its own magic and quiet beauty to the evening. We delighted, of course, in seeing our lovely Milly in pride of place at the very entrance, on the ipads and peering out from the first pages of the brochure, but we also thoroughly enjoyed seeing the variety of all the woollen objects - created with skill and an obvious love of the fibre.

The pictures don't at all do justice to this lovely evening. You can't hear the oohs and aahs as people wandered around touching, looking and delightedly smiling at our Milly. It's impossible to convey the atmosphere or the quiet awe we felt just being in the stunning surroundings of the cathedral but I hope you can see that we loved every moment.

(posted by Katarina)

With a week to go, there is still plenty of time to knit up a few terrifyingly good Halloween treats for the kids (big and small!) And what better excuse to conjure up some dastardly decorations and creepy critters than a FREE-KY pattern??

At MillaMia Towers we've been busy concocting a bevy of ghoulish delights that will set a spine-tingling tone for any Halloween party. From cataclysmic candle holders to spooktacular spiders and bewitching bats there is a quick and easy knit to wickedly entice even the most frightful knitter!

Head(less) on over to www.millamia.com to download your free patterns or click on the portal pics and lunar links . . .

Those of you with eyes like a hovering hawk will notice that a couple of captivating new colours have crept into the pictures below . . . our Limited Edition colours for 2014 are levitating onto yarn shop shelves near you now! Choose trick or treat Teal or pick perfectly ripe Pumpkin and knit up a few terrific treasures this Halloween . . . mwaaaa-ha-HA!!!!!

Create a ghastly glow . . .

http://millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Cat Candle Holder&sort=&type=

Drive the kids batty . . .

http://millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Bat Toy&sort=&type=

Creepy crawly up on unsuspecting guests . . .

http://millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Spider Toy&sort=&type=

Have a monstrously good time - Happy Halloween!!!!!!

(posted by Max)

You will probably best know the incredibly talented Sue Stratford for her knitted meerkats, dogs, puppies, cats and kittens! She often refers to herself, with a rueful smile, as 'the meerkat lady' - it is after all the book that first catapulted her to the heady heights of the Top Ten best selling craft books on Amazon, and earned her a loyal fan base eager to knit and collect her menagerie of cute creature characters.

Sue's talents don't end at conjuring up knitted animals though. She owns The Knitting Hut yarn shop (which does stock MillaMia!), has presented on Create and Craft TV and as well as writing her knitted characters books, has published a book of Mini Christmas Knits and a book of Merry Christmas Sweaters.

With the launch of a brand new FREE Sue Stratford Christmas Sweater pattern in conjunction with Deramores and to support Christmas Jumper Day on Friday 12th December for Save the Children AND knitted entirely in our lovely new Naturally Soft Aran yarn, we thought it was high time we asked Sue for an interview. Luckily for us, she agreed!

http://www.deramores.com/christmas-tree-dog-jumper-pattern

The FREE Christmas sweater pattern designed by Sue for Deramores

1) Can you introduce yourself, the shop and tell us a bit about how you came to start designing.
Well my name is Sue Stratford and I have owned and run The Knitting Hut since December 2005 when I started work on getting the shop ready to open. I have stocked unusual and interesting yarns over the years, always trying to find something a bit different whether expensive or at the cheaper end of the market. I started designing or 'making patterns up' as I called it to use up yarn which had not sold. This is where the Fluffy Mousies came from. Originally they were knitted in a boucle yarn which just had not sold, however once I made the mousies out of it, it flew off the shelves and I had to look for an alternative yarn. A good friend of mine gave me a little mousie knitted using angora yarn and that was it, I had found my new yarn!

2) You are most well known for your knitted collectables – how did you find yourself designing a Christmas Sweater?
The idea for a Christmas Sweater book came about from a conversation I had with Caroline, one of the directors of Search Press. At first it was going to be a much smaller project which then took on a life of it's own and twelve sweaters later the book was born! I have been lucky enough to be involved with the Save The Children Christmas Jumper Day campaign for the last two years as a result of the book which is a fantastic charity and one I have been proud to support.

3) I am always interested in the design process – where did the idea for the sweater come from and how did you go about bringing your idea to life?
I love the idea of having something extra and the design for the Christmas Tree and Dog was one that I originally did for the book but didn't make it in. I had great fun making the dog and tree 'wrap' around the jumper, I think it is great with a novelty knit like this to have something to see on the back too. The Reindeer design which is in the book also wraps around, the Reindeers' bottoms are on the back of the sweater.

Deramores are also generously donating £2.50 from the sale of every copy of Merry Christmas Sweaters to Save The Children

4) We loved that you chose to use the new MillaMia Naturally Soft Aran– what is it about MillaMia yarn that so attracts you?
I have always loved MillaMia yarn and I have used the Naturally Soft Merino sportweight in a number of my designs. I love the feel of the yarn and the stitch definition is lovely although I would be hard pressed to decide whether those are the things I love most or the colours! Putty Grey has to be my all time favourite colour and I used the Limited Edition Cobalt and Lime to make Danger Dog in my last book. I also used Petal for a pink French Poodle - of course! The addition of the Naturally Soft Aran range has just increased the possibilities of what I can do with the yarn and it was just perfect for this project! I used the lovely new Cherry Red for the main body of the sweater, Emerald for the tree, Latte for the sausage dog and Ochre for the garland and star.

http://millamia.com/yarn.php?type=Aran&range=brights&id=37

http://millamia.com/yarn.php?type=Aran&range=brights&id=36

MillaMia Naturally Soft Aran was perfect for the Christmas Sweater

5) What else have you got on the needles at the moment? Is there a new Sue Stratford book on the horizon?
At the moment I am trying to finish the next book which is 'More Mini Christmas Knits'. This is a result of people saying they have knitted everything from Mini Christmas Knits and want more! I am also working on a design I made in the summer for a yoked cardigan, initially knitted in a cotton but now also in wool which is nearly ready to be published. I have promised myself the reward of a new project for me when I've finished the book - the project is Unicorn Stripes by Antonia Shankland.

6) Lastly, where can we find the pattern?
Deramores and Search Press have been very generous in publishing the pattern for free in all four adult sizes which is great! The pattern can be downloaded direct from Deramores . . . http://www.deramores.com/christmas-tree-dog-jumper-pattern

(posted by Max)

It's November, and that officially means we can start to think, and talk about Christmas without feeling the slightest bit guilty! I groan inwardly as huge tins of Quality Street, Christmas wrap, cards and baubles begin to appear in October, but November feels more like Winter, Christmas is only a matter of 6 weeks away at best and is the perfect opportunity for us knitters to get planning our gift knitting.

This year my gift knitting has all but been taken care of by the launch of our latest book - Winter Knitting. I confess it actually felt as though Christmas had come early when I received my own copy - it feels like the most wonderful gift, and although I knew all of the patterns that went into the book, I sat down with my hot coffee one afternoon and browsed at my leisure.

The outcome, of course, was that I immediately wanted to knit everything in the book! As I turned the last page I realised that I had subconsciously been choosing items and colourways for specific people, and wondering who, among my knitterly friends who also love a book like this. That too was easy, as I know that every one of them would cherish Winter Knitting and find myriad projects to keep them happily knitting through the dark days of Winter.

http://millamia.com/collection_patterns.php?id=12

Snow Storm Wristwarmers in Forget-me-not and Snow

Faced with so many things I urgently wanted to knit, I decided to start with something small and relatively quick for some instant gratification. The Snow Storm Wristwarmers are the perfect small project to begin with and the fairisle pattern is so typically Scandinavian which is always so evocative of crisp, snowy mornings for me! I choose a classic combination of midnight and snow (with my Mum in mind - hope she isn't reading this . . .) and set about my knitty business.

I knitted the rib in midnight and looked to the chart to begin the fairilse body of the mitt, realising almost at once that the chart didn't match the ones shown in the picture. My heart sank a little, as I could see that the chart was actually the one included in the cowl pattern which is opposite to the wristwarmers. No matter, I thought as the mitts will match the cowl which I'm almost certainly going to knit too. So, I continued faithfully knitting as per the pattern - the second picture below is my wristwarmer blocking - beautiful, if different to the one shown in the book.

Snow Storm Wristwarmers and Snow Storm Cowl both in Forget-me-not and Snow

My first finished Wristwarmer in Midnight and Snow

Curiosity had me wondering how the midnight and snow would look in the same layout as the pair shown in the book, and so before I began the second wristwarmer I embarked on a mitten-sized swatch with the colours reversed. This is easily managed, just by logging in your brain which colour square represents which colour yarn and so I didn't have any difficulty in switching them around.

The swatch with the chart reversed nearest to the bottom of the picture

Keeping my place on the chart is an entirely different matter though, and as you can see in the pic below, my top tip for keeping your place (even when you put down your knitting, or a small person inadvertently picks up your beautiful new book) is to use Washi Tape which is easily removable but will restick too. Mine is Christmas themed - just to remind me that I'm knitting gifts!

Christmas themed Washi Tape keeping my place on the chart

It seems that Winter Knitting has inspired a flurry of gift knitting in the MillaMia team. Tanya cast on her own version of the Snow Storm Wristwarmers too, in a beautiful combination of storm and lilac blossom. As you can see, she has reversed the chart so that the main colour storm is transitioning from the rib into the main body and the lighter lilac blossom is the contrast colour.

Tanya's Snow Storm Wristwarmers in Storm and Lilac Blossom

I wonder if these will make their way to a friend or family member this Christmas, or whether Tanya, like me is going to find it too hard to gift them away . . . !

(posted by Max, with help from Tanya!)

Like most knitters, I have a guilty hoard of oddments from a host of finished projects. There is virtually every type of yarn, in every colour of the rainbow, often in a substantial enough quantity that the thought of throwing it away . . . well, it doesn't bear thinking about.

So when I discover a project that isn't a sock yarn blanket (I never finished those), or baby hats, bootees, wash cloths or dare I say it - hexipuffs, I get a rush of relief. The thought of liberating some unloved yarn ends and finding them a purpose always makes me feel so worthy!

The Bokstav Gift Tags from Winter Knitting are the perfect oddment-busting project. This lovely little project just ticks so many boxes for me - it's small and quick; uses up even the sparest of yarn ends; is Christmas related and will dress up parcels for my most special people with the added bonus that I can reuse them every year.

You might imagine that I have rather a lot of MillaMia oddments . . . and you'd be right! But the ones that came instantly to hand were the Midnight and Snow Naturally Soft Merino that I had left over from making the Snow Storm Wristwarmers. I did finish these in record time and immediately gifted them to Helena, who so ably demonstrates just how stylish they are teamed with a fake fur jacket.

Helena sporting her Snow Storm Wristwarmers in Midnight and Snow

The gift tags are super quick to knit and use between 7 and 10 grms of yarn in total. The pattern advises that the alphabet motifs are swiss darned (or duplicate stitched) on, but you could easily use the chart to knit them as you go. I swiss darned mine to achieve the slightly raised look which I'm really pleased with. The tags are incredibly tactile when they're finished - as they are made from 2 pieces stitched together to make them reversible it makes them plump and substantial. I used a whip stitch to seam them together which is almost invisible and then gently blocked and steamed them to even all the stitches out.

I have finished 2, and have another one on the needles for my daughter. They're really quite addictive - so quick and instantly gratifying that I fear I may decide that every gift I give this year has to have one . . .

Winter Knitting is available from www.millamia.com, selected MillaMia stockists and good craft title bookstores.

(posted by Max)

Helena and I were so excited to be invited to Berlin by the wonderful team at Wolle Roedel who are one of our first stockists in Germany. They have about 100 stores across the country - including some new concept stores called Idee which are very modern and multicraft focused.

Our visit actually coincided with the publication of our book Wonderland/Kindermode Stricken in German by publishers OZ Verlag. This is huge milestone for us at MillaMia, and something that has made us so happy! We are able to now reach this passionate nation of knitters who have loved our designs and wanted to be able to access them more easily.

Saturday began with a 4 am start! Short, early flights on Easyjet are never exciting but we were relieved that our travelling went smoothly - bar one inadvertant adventure on the train from the airport! Nevertheless we still made it to the KaDeWe shopping centre, and Idee in Berlin on time for an 11am start.

I took the opportunity to knit on the Bosse Cardigan for my son Freddie and Helena was happy to be able to wear her lovely new Snow Storm Wristwarmers

Idee truly is a mecca for crafters - they stock everything from Liberty fabric to gorgeous pompoms, paper craft and stationary. Helena and I decided that we were in heaven and picked up lots of lovely stamps and fun Christmas decorations.

The Wonderland/Kindermode Stricken display looked great

The Idee staff made us so welcome and showed us to an area of the store where there was a whole section of wool set up for MillaMia. We had a good selection of our Wonderland samples with us but they had many there already, so we decorated a tree with our free Christmas decorations (watch this space and our Facebook page for exciting news of this new FREE pattern next week!). They had around 100 books in store for Helena and I to sign as we met customers, who were mainly German but one or two international customers too.

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=de&to=en&a=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wolleroedel.de%2Fshop%2Fde%2FdieProdukte%2FAnleitungen%2FBuecherMagazine%2FStricken%2FquotKindermodestrickenquotJackenPulloverampCofuerkleineLeute.html

It's such a thrill for Helena and I to see Wonderland printed in German

As well as signing books and meeting lots of new customers, Helena and I ran a workshop using our Christmas Ornaments pattern with the staff from Idee and their customers. It was great fun as the ornaments are all quick and easy to make - perfect for a workshop as everyone feels as though they have achieved something in a relatively short space of time.

. . . and finished!

Ellen and Yvonne, our friends from Wolle Roedel / Idee came and took us out for a delicious lunch of currywurst sausage, chips and beer which I would heartily recommend as it was so delicious. Apparently this is a typical Berlin lunch and pretty much the equivalent of fish and chips!

Ellen, Katarina and Yvonne enjoying that traditional Berlin lunch

As is always the case when you're enjoying yourselves, time flew by and it was 4pm before we knew it. Helena and I we were off travelling home again all too soon but had decided before we even left the city that we would definitely going back again next summer (for the weekend this time . . .) to see more of beautiful Berlin!

A wintery kiss goodbye from Berlin!

(posted by Katarina)

Standing out from the crowd in todays online world takes something special, and Emma Blackie of Lemonade Yarns has done just that. With a passion for crochet, beautiful yarns and providing the most dedicated service to her very loyal customers, Emma has managed to create an online space that feels as friendly as a local bricks and mortar shop!

She kindly agreed to answer a few questions for the Blog, and if you'd like to find Emma once you've read all about her, then head to her website www.lemonadeyarns.co.uk or you can always find her on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

1) Introduce yourself, and tell us a bit about how you came to open your online shop.
Hello! My name is Emma and I live and work in Cardiff. Lemonade Yarns is what I devote all my spare time to when I’m not at the day job. I took over the shop almost two years ago (I bought it from a friend of a friend who no longer had the time to run it) and have been working on it and growing it ever since!

2) I know you have a particular passion for crochet, so what do you have on your hook at the moment?
I have so many projects on the go at the moment! I’m the middle of hooking up a blanket, a shawl, some birthday and Christmas presents, and some scarves I’m making for charity.

Beautiful crocheted wristwarmers in Naturally Soft Aran - colour Ochre

3) Describe your ultimate craft project.
My ultimate craft project would be one I actually have time to finish! It’s my own fault really as I start things and then get distracted by an exciting new project – I get so inspired by the things I see other people making that I want to make them for myself!

Also I Iove “mystery” projects – ones where you get a snippet of pattern each week or month, and you don’t know what it’s going to look like until it’s finished. Brilliant!

4) What is your favourite MillaMia yarn and colour?
Oh goodness, I don’t know if I could pick out a favourite shade, but I’m definitely totally in love with the new aran-weight merino. It’s such a stunning colour palette, and I love the mix of brights and neutrals.
I'm interjecting here as I pressed Emma into making a decision! She choose Teal in the new aran - great choice!

Crochet works so well in a tightly twisted yarn like our Naturally Soft Merino shown here in Seaside, Petal, Storm, Forget-me-not, Snow and Berry

5) Do you have a ‘go to’ pattern that you’ve knitted multiple times that’s perfect for gifting?
Not really, to be honest. I prefer seeking out new patterns that suit what I want to make at the time, and I love the challenge of getting my head around a new pattern. If I make the same thing too many times it takes the fun out of it for me.

6) Tell us something unusual about yourself.
I am a classically trained musician and have a degree in Music! After I left university (I studied in Exeter) I could have made Music my career, but instead I went to work for Habitat and wanted to become an Interior Designer. Now I’m a manager for a high-end classic British women’s clothing brand. Isn’t it funny how life turns out sometimes?!

(posted by Max)

By very happy chance, our new accessory book Finishing Touch has proven to be a godsend for my Christmas gift knitting this year. Stuffed full of some exceedingly quick knits that are also beautiful and practical, I haven't had to look any further for my 'go to' pattern.

The Elika Wristwarmers tick all of those boxes and a few more for me! I love using the Naturally Soft Aran for speed, but also for the wonderful texture and warmth it creates in the knitted fabric. The colour palette too offers so much scope for personalising something as simple as these mitts so that even knitting them multiple times (and I have!), the choice of colour combination makes them unique and fresh every time.

I imagine that reading the pattern, some knitters might be daunted at the thought of cabling every other row to produce this lovely rich texture - it can make progress slow if you are having to manipulate a cable needle for every set of stitches and on every other row - but have no fear, as help is at hand! I have recently embraced the revolutionary technique that is 'cabling - without a cable needle'!

For some of you, this will be old news and I confess I had heard about it a good long while ago, but never felt comfortable enough to put aside my trusty cable needle for an entire project. The Elika's are a great first pattern to try this technique and master it so that you will feel confident enough to try some more complex cabling.

The idea is merely knitting the second stitch on your left needle before knitting the first so that it effectively swaps the order of your stitches. And this is really all that any cable stitch is - a rearranging of the order of stitches to produce a twisted effect.

So much choice! You can see only one in Cherry Red and Cinder - I'm still working on the other one!

In the video below you can see the progress of my cabling across a short section of the row. I begin with demonstrating the 'C2F' cable which is knitting into the front of the second stitch without slipping it off the needle, then knitting into the front of the first stitch and finally slipping both stitches off the needle together. The second instruction used for the Elika Wristwarmers is 'C2B' - which is knitting into the back of the second stitch on the left needle without slipping it off and then knitting into the back of the first stitch before slipping them both off together.

I found it quick to pick up, and very easy to read my stitches so that I could see which type of cable I needed to create next (even after I had put down my knitting). This is of course the key to a great pattern you can knit multiple times - intuitive and easily memorised so that it becomes almost second nature.

My last tip is to divide your Main Colour into 2 equal balls (weight them - 25g each) before you cast on so that you can use every last scrap of yarn. Knitting exactly to pattern and hitting the specified gauge, I found that I had just about enough left to stitch them up! If you bought 2 balls of the main colour and only 1 of the contrast you would be able to get 2 pairs out easily.

I'm now knitting my fourth pair, with plans for a fifth, and possibly a sixth . . . and my cable needle is nowhere in sight!

(posted by Max)

There is a post that regularly shows up on Facebook which says 'Knitters love to party. And by party, I mean knit'. It always brings a rueful smile to my face because for most of us knitters, nothing is more enjoyable than some quality time spent alone with your knitting.

Helena and I were both rather taken with Adam's prize - Magpies, Homebodies and Nomads by Cirilia Rose

Which is only half true. Quality time with your knitting, at an actual party, with a cocktail or two and surrounded by fellow knitters who are all 'partying' as hard as you is truly the pinnacle of having a knitting good time.

Last Saturday evening saw the perfect alignment of all these elements come splendidly together at the annual Pom Pom Mag Christmas party. Helena, her friend Adam and I and the great and the good of the local knitting community all converged on The Last in central London for an evening of yarn related celebration.

Delightful musical entertainment provided by Theo Bard

As the live music from Theo Bard kicked off proceedings knitters were able to indulge in a little pre-Christmas yarn shopping at the mini indie market from Kettle Yarn Co, Yellow Bear Wares, Lioness Arts, Elizabeth Beverly and the Pom Pom merch stand. I confess that I got mildly carried away . . . I blame it on the rhubarb and raspberry martini . . .

Kettle Yarn Co with their delectable wares at the pop up mini market

Pom Pom merch including these quirky cards by Julie Asselin

The knitty raffle was good fun and there were some awesome prizes to be had. The lovely Helen of Curious Handmade won the MillaMia prize - 4 balls of our Naturally Soft Aran and the Winter Knitting book, and Adam was the lucky winner of Cirilia Rose's inspiring new book Magpies, Homebodies and Nomads. I'm ashamed to say that I would have been compelled to wrestle it from him were it not for the fact that I know I have one in my Christmas stocking this year (thanks Santa!)

Amy and Lydia were delightful comperes for the raffle

There's always time to squeeze in a few rows . . .

The bar was liberally scattered with knitting stars as the evening wore on - it was great to catch up over some gentle knitting and pretty drinks with Rachel Coopey, aplayfulday, Rachel Atkinson and the fabulous Lydia and Amy from Pom Pom.

Not a knitters party without making good progress on your latest WIP

Or it would have been, had I not walked out of the door last Saturday evening WITHOUT MY KNITTING. Two train journeys and a knitting specific party with no knitting . . . I didn't 'party' quite so hard as I was expecting . . .

With HUGE thanks to the girls from Pom Pom Quarterly Magazine and to Agnese Sanvito for all the images here - who captured the party so exquisitely. Looking forward to next year!

(posted by Max)

You will all know by now that we have a fabulous new free pattern for Christmas . . . won't you? If you don't then head over to www.millamia.com and download your free copy immediately!! These Christmas Ornaments are seriously quick to make (meaning you definitely still have time to knit a couple before the big day), only take small amounts of yarn and are a great way to add some Scandi style to your tree or special gifts.

The pattern includes mini trees, squares and baubles either in striped or fairisle versions so there is plenty of scope to use up small oddments in lots of different colour combinations. I particularly love the baubles as I think they make great teachers or hostess gifts as well as making a bold statement on the Christmas tree.

In the interests of 'test knitting' I set about knitting a few of these baubles and thought I'd include my top tips here for making these ornaments look perfectly finished and worthy of gifting or pride of place on your tree.

You can clearly see the large loop in the top 2 pictures, and the bauble separated onto 2 needles to make the knitting more comfortable to manage in the bottom pictures

Firstly and most importantly an instruction that I really should have adhered to myself - read the pattern thoroughly before starting. This may seem obvious but the pattern is written such that there are a few things going on at the same time and these are listed in a couple of places. So (unlike me!) you will need to read the colour striping instructions for each bauble AND the actual 'To Make' instructions. I didn't and so my first bauble ended up with the stripe sequence running from bottom to top instead of into the middle - in a mirrored way - this will make sense when you knit yours, but you can also see my mistake in the first picture below.

My first bauble with the stripe pattern running from bottom to top and the second which is mirrored to make the most of the central 4 fairisle rows

Next, I found it helpful to cast on the first stitch really loosely so you have a fairly large loop. The way that the first increases are made means it all takes place in this first stitch. Don't worry about this loop as you will be able to sew it in when you come to the finishing.

The 'm1' increases all take place on the purl rounds and so it's worth remembering that you will need to 'purl' into the bar between the stitches. I made my increase by lifting the bar from back to front with my left needle and then purling into the front of it. If you want to be a real perfectionist then you might want to work right and left leaning increases but I was happy with just using this one method.

The pattern does state that you will want to introduce a second DPN when the stitches become too many on a single needle - I found that around Row 11, my knitting was becoming too tight to manage easily and so I introduced my second needle here.

Take care that your gauge is correct so that the knitting actually has to stretch around the polystyrene inner - it looks much more professional if it actually fits!

Finally - you know that I'm going to absolutely stress the importance of good old mattress stitch here! If you are using a polystyrene ball to 'stuff' your baubles (and by the way they are 9"/23cms circumference, we sourced ours online very cheaply and completely recommend using them for the best results), then you will need to work your mattress stitch while the ball is inside. This can be a little tricky but it does give the most polished finish. You really don't want to be able to see an obvious seam as baubles have a tendency to swing and turn around!

The joy of mattress stitch to produce a seamless join AND matching stripes

Each bauble took me approximately 3 hours from start to finish, and used around 13grms of yarn. The pattern advises that 4 balls of yarn are enough to make all 7 ornaments (including the squares and trees) - but you may find that you can squeeze out one or two more!

My finished baubles taking pride of place on the Christmas Tree - I'll look forward to bringing these out every year

We'd like to wish all our readers a happy and peaceful holiday season and say a huge Thanks for your continued interest in MillaMia and the team. We have so many exciting plans for 2015 and we're looking forward to sharing it all with you too!

(posted by Max)

Working in a small team definitely has its benefits. For a start, it means that we all know each other really well and spending time together outside of the office is always a pleasure. Secondly, if like me, you are likely to be gifting some handknits for Christmas, then there aren't too many colleagues to knit for!

Katarina and Helena generously take the team out for a celebration Christmas lunch every year, and this year they had booked a table at Beaufort House in Chelsea. Situated on the Kings Road, Beaufort House is a stylish restaurant and club that manages to feel both welcoming and comfortable while maintaining a classic understated elegance.

We enjoyed delicious dishes, desserts and some fizz and talked about our plans for the coming holiday season. Some of us are travelling abroad to spend time with family and others of us are planning a quiet Christmas with plenty of time to relax (and knit!), which means that the office will be closed from Christmas Eve until 2nd January.

It's not often we get a picture of us altogether - many thanks to the lovely waiter

I can't ever turn down dessert

Tanya and I love a selfie!

I was excited to give the girls the gifts I had knitted for them - a hat each with a brightly coloured fluffy pompom!! The pattern is called 'Puck' by Dani Sunshine aka LionessKnits and is a nice easy knit, with a bit of colour changing and a zig zag pattern which keeps it interesting. Knitted in 2 contrasting colours means that the colour combinations are a joy to devise and I certainly had fun choosing shades that would compliment the Rico fake fur pom poms (bought from Deramores).

A yellow pom pom for Tanya and peacock blue for Katarina

The hats were a success!

I'm happy to report that they ALL loved them and wore them back to the office! Now I just need to find time to knit one for myself . . .

(posted by Max)

Happy New Year from us all at MillaMia! We hope your holiday season was a delightful time spent with your family, friends, and your knitting.

http://millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Livia Adult Cardigan&sort=&type=

The Livia Cardigan is sized from kids to adults and is a FREE download

So with all the gift knitting delivered to grateful recipients and a strange sense of needing something new and exciting to start the year, what do us knitters typically turn to? Well, knitting of course!

And not just any knitting. January typically heralds the 'sweater cast on phenomenon', and is something I seem to fall prey to every year. I wonder if this sudden urge to cast on a large project is prompted by a rekindled sense of purpose and intent that the New Year always seems to bring, or if the colder weather triggers an inner need to knit cosy items to comfort ourselves with? Maybe, having knitted so much for other people, our selfish side decides it's time to pick up the needles and knit something just for 'me'.

Where before Christmas the urgency to complete lots of gifts drives me to heavier weight yarns and simple garter projects, the New Year sees me looking for a considerable challenge . . . in a lighter weight yarn that I can indulge in and spend time with. I find that I want cables, and complex stitch patterns - shaping, colourwork and charts, interesting construction and a canvas bag filled with lots of balls of yarn all eager to be knitted up into something extraordinary!

This poor sweater has quite a brief to meet. And in order to find the exact pattern to tick all of the boxes, I've been browsing the MillaMia adults women's patterns. These are my top picks - all cardigans!

First up is the Daniel Cardigan from our latest book Winter Knitting. A fairly simply shaped cardigan with a shawl collar and patch pockets, the real interest is in the fabulous fairisle section adorning the middle.

http://millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Daniel Cardigan

The Daniel cardigan is warm, cosy and oversized - perfect for the chilly winter evenings

Next is more fairisle in the form of the Kia Kimono from High Society. This cardigan is all about the pretty fairisle yoke and the interesting symmetrical opening and although there is a fair amount of straight stocking stitch the other elements will provide just enough interest to keep it moving along.

http://millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Kia Fair Isle Kimono

The Kia Kimono has a beautiful stranded colourwork yoke which makes it interesting to for even the most experienced knitter

With some pretty cable on each panel, shaping and rib edging the Charlie Cardigan from Country Escape is not the most difficult garment to knit, BUT it is a wonderfully versatile transitional piece and one that I can see me wearing right through to early summer.

http://millamia.com/pat_size.php?name=Charlie Cardigan

The Charlie Cardigan in Claret from Country Escape

Last, but by no means least is my pick of the bunch - the Livia Cardigan. This lovely jacket meets the challenge element of my brief as it has some complex cabling all over the garment AND bobbles. It is knitted in pieces which gives it great fit and structure and best of all it's a FREE pattern (download it here). The sizing goes from child right up to adult so you could knit one for yourself and then another for a daughter or granddaughter once the selfish knitter has been appeased!

The Livia Cardigan in Sable - cables and bobbles make it wonderfully textured and warm

With 20 balls of MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino in Berry just sitting quietly in my stash, it seems a shame not to cast on right away doesn't it?

(posted by Max)

You may recall that last week, I was feeling a rush of New Year motivation and excitement to embark on a challenging garment project? That I was keen to cast on something for myself after the selfless months of Christmas gift knitting? That I wanted a large project that I could indulge myself in?

It's funny what a week can do to the best of intentions isn't it? I have to confess that I have cast on something - though sadly it isn't for me, nor is it a garment and although it has cables, it isn't really a true challenge either! I have been shockingly sidetracked and lured in by our Winter Knitting book again, and this time by one of the gorgeous cushions.

The story of my drastic change of mind is simple really. Feeling enthused and inspired after writing the blog post last week, I went in search of my 20 balls of Berry yarn (buried rather deep in my ever growing stash!). While searching through my yarn, I got to imagining that delectable berry colour knitted into some interesting textures and cables and found myself suddenly trying to remember where exactly I had seen some beautiful cable detail in that very same Berry yarn . . .

It came to me pretty quickly. The Honey Honey Cushion in Winter Knitting. I was soon sat knee deep in yarn (including the bags of Berry) and with Winter Knitting open in my lap. The rest is history - I had the yarn, I had the pattern and more compellingly - I remembered an imminent birthday which I would need to knit something for.

And so, I have cast on this beautiful cushion. It isn't the large, complex, time consuming pattern that I thought I wanted to immerse myself in, and it isn't even for me. But the gentle repetition of the cable pattern and the ever soothing glide of the Naturally Soft Merino on my needles is actually cathartic and satisfying enough. And as all knitters know, our greatest pleasure is often in the gifting of our time and talent, and not in the ownership of the things we make.

(posted by Max)

The design studio at MillaMia HQ has been overwhelmed with heart-themed mood boards, knitted swatches and a plethora of sugar sweet yarn for weeks now, and with the first whispers of Valentine's Day in the air, it would seem that the MillaMia team are thinking about spreading a little love. Helena and Tanya have indulged their romantic sides and designed a beautiful cushion collection for inclusion in an interiors book due to be released later this year, but which we are offering FREE for a limited period to celebrate Valentine's Day.

The cushions, along with a matching candle warmer form a cohesive set, tied together with a truly modern palette of midnight, fuchsia, lilac blossom and daisy yellow - something that Helena was keen to create.

She says, 'I wanted to pick up on a couple of key colours and mix sugary tones like lilac blossom with more grounding tones such as the midnight. The daisy yellow accent sets everything off and the result is a very contemporary take on more traditional fairisle patterns. I'm always excited by the idea of re-imagining something classic in a new way, and for this collection a less conventional colour palette has produced some really appealing results. And hearts are such a timeless motif to work with - we think the cushions will be great for Valentine's Day, but equally lovely as an interior accessory all year round.'

'Big Love' and 'Sweet Heart'

'Cross My Heart' Cushion and Candle Warmer

With hearts being so pertinent to the season, we thought it would be a shame to keep them all to ourselves until the Autumn. So, this sweet collection is going to be FREE to download for a limited time (from Monday 26th January - Monday 23rd February) on the MillaMia website, from your usual online retailers and as actual copies in your local MillaMia stockist. There has to be a pun around 'free' and 'love' in there somewhere!

(posted by Max)

PREVIEW - NEW adult collection

PREVIEW - brand new Naturally Soft Aran

KNITTED ART and 'Yarn' in Nottingham

DESIGN FEATURE - swatching

MILLAMIA TEAM - Knitting the New Aran

MILLAMIA TEAM - Knitting Part 2

WOOL WEEK - Southwark Cathedral

FREE PATTERN - It's a treat!

DESIGNER PROFILE - Sue Stratford

WINTER KNITTING - New Book

SMALL PROJECT - Using oddments

OUT AND ABOUT - Berlin

STOCKIST PROFILE - Lemonade Yarns

TUTORIAL - cabling without a cable needle

OUT AND ABOUT - Pom Pom Mag Christmas Party

TOP TIPS - for perfect Christmas Baubles

OUT AND ABOUT - MillaMia Team Christmas lunch

NEW YEAR - New Projects

KNITTING - New Project

FREE PATTERNS - Spread the Love